Peco Bullhead Points: in the flesh

[Ron Solly]

Having called them Large Radius though, they will be stuck for a name if they do any bigger ones

 

Ginormous, megalarge?????

 

Don't you mean XL  and XXL  ? 

[darren01]

Could do with a B8/9 point, the double slip , i hope is bigger than the code 75 one, long wheel base loco seem to slow down a bit running through the one i had on my layout.

[hayfield]

Could do with a B8/9 point, the double slip , i hope is bigger than the code 75 one, long wheel base loco seem to slow down a bit running through the one i had on my layout.

 

 

The clever part of the existing design of Peco turnouts is the compatibly of the different sizes if crossings and turnouts within the range, I believe this is done by using identical crossing angles and changing the length of the switch, would this still work with larger turnouts? 

[Pete the Elaner]

The clever part of the existing design of Peco turnouts is the compatibly of the different sizes if crossings and turnouts within the range, I believe this is done by using identical crossing angles and changing the length of the switch, would this still work with larger turnouts? 

I think this was mentioned on one of the locked threads. Peco's current 'long' radius is as long as they can go with the current crossing angle.

We will have to wait & see what they come up with, assuming this one sells well enough.

I was talking to a friend last night who felt they should have released a medium radius first because they are more 'useable' for the average track plan. I think they have got it right by doing large radius first.

Edited November 9, 2017 by Pete the Elaner

[PaulRhB]

Having called them Large Radius though, they will be stuck for a name if they do any bigger ones

 

Larger?

[Joseph_Pestell]

I have too many flat bottom turnouts in my current stock that need using up so will try to resist the Bullhead turnouts.  My thought is that the 'medium' would be the next most useful edition with either a single slip or three way to follow.

 

If you need something at all exotic, build it or get someone else to do it.  I had a need for a single turnout for US outline in HO.  It was for a backwoods branch line in the South East US.  I contacted a guy in the states and he built me a No.8 in code 55....  I couldn't make such a good job and it avoids the necessary compromises from Peco code 83.

 

Peco have done well with this point and well done Mr Peco..

 

Here is the Code 55 HO turnout, very impressive..

 

55 IMG_7198.JPG

 

55 IMG_7187.JPG

 

55 IMG_7188.JPG

 

55 IMG_7190.JPG

 

55 IMG_7195.JPG

This photo illustrates well that a #8 is rather longer than the current Peco large radius. I totally "get" that most folks don't have the space to go down this road and Peco have made a sensible decision with regard to that. But they could have gone for #6 (or even #7) and not taken any more space.

 

But that ship has sailed. Peco have made their decision to stick with their existing geometry and it still looks pretty good. Let's just hope that other items become available quickly so that people can get on with building layouts. Nothing will help Peco's sales more than lots of layouts being seen with the new product.

[Mallard60022]

Just as an aside, has anyone noticed that 'we' have not had any noticeable disagreement on this particular thread yet? OK so some of us would like some things a little different and there are some small criticisms about (say) the sleepers, but generally everyone is genuinely excited about the way forward. I for one am very much for praising Peco for (at last) taking a step that must have cost them a lot of investment. The future is looking excellent for a more realistic track look (notice I did not mention gauge).

A. Ballaster. 

 

P.S. There are three jobs going at Peco. Time to move to east Devon?

Edited November 9, 2017 by Mallard60022

[Clive Mark]

Just as an aside, has anyone noticed that 'we' have not had any noticeable disagreement on this particular thread yet? OK so some of us would like some things a little different and there are some small criticisms about (say) the sleepers, but generally everyone is genuinely excited about the way forward. I for one am very much for praising Peco for (at last) taking a step that must have cost them a lot of investment. The future is looking excellent for a more realistic track look (notice I did not mention gauge).

A. Ballaster. 

 

P.S. There are three jobs going at Peco. Time to move to east Devon?

 

I used to live in Honiton until four years ago. I've lived in three parts of Devon for a total of seven years. Peco's corner in Beer is an area where any job advert is extremely good news. 

 

They are building a new town "Cranbrook", 6500 houses between Exeter and the Airport. Exeter is growing with new houses right up to the M5. Every new house or flat is another two cars on the roads. More houses are to be built at Exmouth, Budleigh and Sidmouth. So you have been warned !

 

Anyway back to happy railways. I sometimes visit Pecorama and Ratio House when I'm down there. The Peco staff tell me Peco have always sold huge amounts of the "Streamline" range to the North American market which makes Peco a good exporter.

 

One of the best advances in the new point are the switch blades. Although the points are hand assembled I assume the blades are machined. They are so much nicer than the stamped pressed blades we have had for many years. Next time I'm in the shop I'm going to request they be made available as parts for building, perhaps in the individulay range.

 

I've not seen the point out of the packet but I could see the Bullhead rail was nicely shaped.....presumably through an extrusion process. Peco used to make Code 75 Bullhead upto about 25 years ago. I've just found the pack (6 one yard lengths) I bought then at OPC books Headington (long since gone) and kept almost as a trophy. The part number is/was IL2X. Why they discontinued it, I have no idea. Perhaps they broke their machine.

 

Again it would be nice if they made this bullhead available again and I will plug for it next time I visit. It would make life easy to be able to buy it in any model shop that stocks Peco. ( I do not know of a shop that does not keep Peco of some kind).

Edited November 9, 2017 by Andy Y
Derogatory comments removed.

[Junctionmad]

I find making my own turnouts (in P4) from scratch is a fraction of the extremely expensive kits which are available.

Mind you , with the recent price increases, building a fully chaired turnout is rapidly approaching the £20 mark.

[Captain Kernow]

an area where any job advert is extremely good news. They are very proud people down there but the truth is most of Devon is a "depressed" area. 

Yes, I'm very proud yet also depressed.

 

 

Life down there is not all that it is cracked up to be ! It's very damp in the winter and basically there is no money about. 

Yes, life down here is basically craap.

 

I'm just so cold and damp all of the time and I wish I could afford a new box of candles.

 

Now estate agents refer to East Devon as the "Exeter Commuter Belt !".

 

They are building a new town "Cranbrook", 6500 houses between Exeter and the Airport. Exeter is growing with new houses right up to the M5. Every new house or flat is another two cars on the roads. More houses are to be built at Exmouth, Budleigh and Sidmouth. So you have been warned !

 

Yes, I came across some of these new houses whilst out foraging for nuts and kindling. I'm even more depressed now.

Mind you , with the recent price increases, building a fully chaired turnout is rapidly approaching the £20 mark.

I could build you one for the price of a second-hand stale ham sandwich, such is the grinding poverty in Devon these days.

[Clive Mark]

Mmmm! Yes....I'm not 100% sure if I want to go back. I was in Ivybridge 5 years, Malborough (just outside Salcombe) 1 year and Honiton 1 year.

 

It's the coastline...that's the draw. And South Devon Railway and Bodmin and Wenford.

 

I love the North Yorks so much it might just have to be North Yorkshire...cold in winter though.

 

I do a lot of staring at pointwork at all these excellent places. You know....when the trains disappeared and you've finished your coffee. What do you do next. Stare at the points and count the sleepers !

[Clive Mark]

Just remembered a good place to look at old original bullhead points and you can walk all over them as its an open area of the site is Didcot Railway Centre. Apart from the short running track areas (such a shame they are so restricted in length and scope) the approach roads into the old steam shed are an open area.

 

I'm quite sure this pointwork has not changed since working BR steam days and may well be the same as when the shed was rebuilt and redeveloped back in the 1930's with the help a government grant to create work etc.

Edited November 9, 2017 by CLIVE MARK

[Joseph_Pestell]

 

 

They are building a new town "Cranbrook", 6500 houses between Exeter and the Airport. Exeter is growing with new houses right up to the M5. Every new house or flat is another two cars on the roads. More houses are to be built at Exmouth, Budleigh and Sidmouth. So you have been warned !

 

Anyway back to happy railways. I sometimes visit Pecorama and Ratio House when I'm down there. The Peco staff tell me Peco have always sold huge amounts of the "Streamline" range to the North American market which makes Peco a good exporter.

 

One of the best advances in the new point are the switch blades. Although the points are hand assembled I assume the blades are machined. They are so much nicer than the stamped pressed blades we have had for many years. Next time I'm in the shop I'm going to request they be made available as parts for building, perhaps in the individulay range.

 

I've not seen the point out of the packet but I could see the Bullhead rail was nicely shaped.....presumably through an extrusion process. Peco used to make Code 75 Bullhead upto about 25 years ago. I've just found the pack (6 one yard lengths) I bought then at OPC books Headington (long since gone) and kept almost as a trophy. The part number is/was IL2X. Why they discontinued it, I have no idea. Perhaps they broke their machine.

 

Again it would be nice if they made this bullhead available again and I will plug for it next time I visit. It would make life easy to be able to buy it in any model shop that stocks Peco. ( I do not know of a shop that does not keep Peco of some kind).

 

Peco have never made their own rail. It would simply not be economic. So far as industry is concerned, what we think of as rail is a type of wire which is indeed extruded to that shape.

 

I don't know if it was actually discontinued as part of the Individulay  range or just not promoted much. They have tended to concentrate on the 82FB. But generally, Individulay has not been promoted at all well. There was a thread recently where someone had not known (despite being an experienced 7mm practitioner) that 7mm scale Individulay components have been available for years.

[Captain Kernow]

Mmmm! Yes....I'm not 100% sure if I want to go back. I was in Ivybridge 5 years, Malborough (just outside Salcombe) 1 year and Honiton 1 year.

 

Tell me, did you escape from Ivybridge and Honiton of your own volition, or did someone come along and politely tap you on the shoulder?

 

Different rules apply for anywhere remotely near Salcombe, which is so posh and so up it's own rear end, that you can see the light at both ends of the tunnel at the same time.

 

It's the coastline...that's the draw.

Yes, a place that's neither damp nor cold.

 

 

I do a lot of staring at pointwork at all these excellent places. You know....when the trains disappeared and you've finished your coffee. What do you do next. Stare at the points and count the sleepers !

Personally, I'd just order another coffee.

 

I'm sure you high-falutin' folk from Orxfordshire can get an app to count the sleepers on your behalf. Alternatively, you could pay one of the numerous street urchins scampering about these stations, hoping for some toff to throw them the crust from their croissant.

[kwallace6]

Mine arrived yesterday, and I've been able to check it out, compare it to the the HO range and a similar Marcway I had to hand, and lay it! Oh, and just time to run some trains over it.

 

There's much to like. The elimination of the hinge improves the flow of the rail; it is DCC Ready and the self-locking tie-bar with proper blades is very neat. My only 'disappointment' is the selection of point type, as my layout is supposedly in the hilly part of West Yorkshire and they didn't have points like that!

 

My notes are here if anyone is interested: http://www.hall-royd-junction.co.uk/Hall_Royd_Model/layout_49.html

 

 

Keith W

Edited November 9, 2017 by kwallace6

[Clive Mark]

Tell me, did you escape from Ivybridge and Honiton of your own volition, or did someone come along and politely tap you on the shoulder?

 

Different rules apply for anywhere remotely near Salcombe, which is so posh and so up it's own rear end, that you can see the light at both ends of the tunnel at the same time.

 

Yes, a place that's neither damp nor cold.

 

 

Personally, I'd just order another coffee.

 

I'm sure you high-falutin' folk from Orxfordshire can get an app to count the sleepers on your behalf. Alternatively, you could pay one of the numerous street urchins scampering about these stations, hoping for some toff to throw them the crust from their croissant.

 

Different rules apply for anywhere remotely near Salcombe, which is so posh and so up it's own rear end, that you can see the light at both ends of the tunnel at the same time.

 

I did not have enough money for Salcombe. And there is no pointwork in Salcombe.

Edited November 9, 2017 by CLIVE MARK

[PaulRhB]

Well they look good to me and I hope they don't tempt me with tight industrial radius points so I end up building even more layouts!

Hopefully there might be more announcements at Warley to add to the range

[Captain Kernow]

And there is no pointwork in Salcombe.

I would agree that there is now no point in Salcombe.

 

(They don't let people like me in there, anyway).

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Having called them Large Radius though, they will be stuck for a name if they do any bigger ones...

 Prefacing with words, 'very' and 'extremely' would work for me.

 

I too would like to see the development of this product range break away from the 'set track' thinking of constant crossing angle. That's already catered for in existing product ranges . Time to do different, not least because it has the potential to open up new market opportunities.

[BlackRat]

There's one point living in Saltash.....it's just after the bridge and before the station.

 

I'm not sure if Peco made it or not.

[Scottest]

I continue to lurk with full interest. If I were an active participant I should be delighted to start a new BLT of LSWR parentage, and use these new products from Mr Peco. Just a small issue. There were differences in timbering between LSW pre-grouping and Southern's REA geometry, as were the rail lengths, but the use of Rule One has never bothered me.

[John ks]

 Prefacing with words, 'very' and 'extremely' would work for me.

 

I too would like to see the development of this product range break away from the 'set track' thinking of constant crossing angle. That's already catered for in existing product ranges . Time to do different, not least because it has the potential to open up new market opportunities.

 

34C

You have said what I was thinking about saying

But instead of  'very' and 'extremely' I would have went for  #8 or #10

John

[Captain Kernow]

the use of Rule One has never bothered me.

That's very good advice for everyone.

[Captain Kernow]

I find it interesting that Peco has manufactured 'O' gauge bullhead track for years, for what is presumably a much smaller market, so perhaps the wonder is that it has taken this long to produce it in 4mm scale?

 

Either way, the ready availability of quality bullhead track and ready-made bullhead points will probably do more than any other single product in recent times to improve the standard of 4mm layouts portraying British layout themes.

[Clive Mark]

I would agree that there is now no point in Salcombe.

 

(They don't let people like me in there, anyway).

 

75% second homes.

 

I never met anyone in that area who liked model railways.

Perhaps they build their layouts at their main homes in London, Bristol etc.

Perhaps they work such long hours at their Banking, Property development etc that they havn't the time.

Well its their loss.